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2024 Fall Dance Guide
11 dance events to revel in this fall

Autumn can feel like a poetic season — as weather cools and leaves turn color, fluttering to the ground, it signals a time for creative expansion, or perhaps the beginning of a journey. Greater Boston has tapped into that sentiment with a variety of dance performances from across the spectrum, pushing us to further understand who we are and test the limits of the imagination. We’ll see multiple productions from Global Arts Live this season, including works from Argentinian group Malevo, and a collaboration between Palaver Strings and little house dance. And of course, no fall would be complete without an exploration of the supernatural, and The North Atlantic Ballet’s “Dracula” comes right in time for Halloween. Below, find performances that pique your interest and transport you to another world.
'In the Same Tongue'
Emerson Paramount Center | Sept. 26-29
Language is the theme being explored in this expressive work, which asks dancers and musicians to investigate the way that their mediums converse with one another. Dancer and choreographer Dianne McIntyre has woven her own autobiographical stories into the show, which also navigates the legacies of 1920s Harlem salons and the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and ‘70s. Presented by ArtsEmerson, “In the Same Tongue” features original music by composer Diedre Murray and will engage with the sonic influence of the Black Arts Movement. Spectators will also be treated to the poetry of the Black feminist and Obie-winning playwright Ntozake Shange.
Boston Moving Arts: 'Welcome Home'
Boston University Dance Theater | Oct. 18-19
Dance works will center around the feelings of safety and comfort, featuring soothing expressions of humanity. During “Welcome Home,” Boston choreographer Rachel Linsky’s “Gathering Sparks” will merge contemporary dance, Yiddish folk traditions and music from Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band. A German American group called FLOCK will present “Somewhere Between,” sharing myths and childhood stories. Audiences will also have a chance to take in Leah Misano’s “Trusting,” a duet with dancer Alex Meeth, and Andrew Skeels’ “Unkempt,” a dive into the tangled relationships we often find ourselves in.
Malevo
Berklee Performance Center | Oct. 19
Global Arts Live presents Argentinian dance group Malevo, created by director, choreographer and dancer Matías Jaime. The all-male group showcases a traditional Argentinian folk dance called Malambo, which was popularized during the beginning of the 19th century. The dance company gives it “a modern, avant-garde and transgressive approach,” while blending it with urban percussion and other styles of dance, like flamenco. Malevo was recently named an official Cultural Ambassador of the National Identity of Argentina, and the group has also appeared alongside Ricky Martin, Cirque du Soleil and on the television show “America’s Got Talent.”

The North Atlantic Ballet: 'Dracula'
The Cabot Theatre | Oct. 19-20
At this Beverly theater, a spooky ballet arrives just before Halloween. Guest choreographer Tom Vacanti is telling Bram Stoker’s story of gothic vampires, darkness and transformation, reinterpreting a piece that was originally staged in 1992 for a production at Emmanuel Church in Back Bay. The North Atlantic Ballet, which was founded in 1980, is the ballet company in residence at The Cabot Theatre and typically presents four programs in Greater Boston a year. This fall, viewers will be able to experience the mystery, allure and power of the unknown in a graceful imagining of the classic tale.

Boston Ballet: 'Fall Experience'
Citizens Opera House | Oct. 24-Nov. 3
The fall season comes to life in the Boston Ballet’s spectacular staging of four works. Audience members will observe Crystal Pite’s “The Seasons’ Canon,” a ballet set to Max Richter’s interpretation of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” performed by 54 dancers. They’ll also be delighted by the world premiere of a work by principal dancer Lia Cirio, who has been an artist with the Boston Ballet for 20 years. This piece will showcase neo-classical pointe movement. Choreographer Sabrina Matthews will offer spectators a ballet for two dancers and a pianist called “Ein von Viel.” Set to Bach’s “Goldberg Variations,” artistic director Mikko Nissinen originally commissioned the work in 2001. A dance called “Plan to B” by Jorma Elo, featuring music by Henrich Ignaz Von Biber, will study feelings of uncertainty, unpredictability and nervous tension.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet
Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre | Oct. 25-26
Founded in 1994 by choreographer Dwight Rhoden and dancer Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet is a New York-based company that blends a mix of styles and methods. When the group comes to Boston this October, in partnership with Global Arts Live, they’ll perform a selection of their favorite works, as well as a “blockbuster hit” called “STAR DUST.” This contemporary ballet pays tribute to legend David Bowie, set to songs such as “Heroes,” “Space Oddity,” “Changes” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide.” Rhoden has described the work as one that feels “kaleidoscopic,” shifting worlds throughout the performance.
Subject:Matter
ICA | Nov. 8
The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston and Global Arts Live will offer audience members a glimpse of the past, present and future of tap dance in a production from Boston-based company Subject:Matter. The artists will bring viewers “With Far Hand,” a work choreographed and composed by Ian Berg, with arrangements by Andre Sudol. They’ll also perform “Songbook,” a collection of dances set to tunes from the Great American Songbook like “Mack the Knife,” “But Not for Me” and “If I Were a Bell.” Subject:Matter will be releasing “Songbook” as a record, a week prior to the ICA event, and the group is also working to record the music from “With Far Hand.”
Palaver Strings + little house dance: 'Noisefloor'
ICA | Nov. 9
Two Portland-based groups, Palaver Strings, a musician-led string ensemble, and little house dance, an artist-led contemporary dance company, will work together to produce “Noisefloor,” in partnership with Global Arts Live. Their artforms are intertwined with each other — dancers have been an integral part of the composition process, while musicians have been connected with the show’s movement language. The performance features 12 musicians, eight dancers and a new composition by musician Courtney Swain, choreographed by Heather Stewart. The show, which promises to be immersive, will convert the theater “into an atmospheric cave.”
'Roots & Routes'
The Dance Complex | Nov. 8-10
Cambridge dance hub The Dance Complex offers a showcase from teaching artists and dancemakers who utilize the space’s studios. The program will highlight a variety of diverse styles of dance, from flamenco to Indian dance to contemporary and others. Professional dancers and students will deliver performances that are tied to multicultural traditions, creating a vibrant and engaging spectacle. Visitors can enjoy “Roots & Routes” from within the Central Square building, the historic former 1884 Odd Fellow’s Hall that has become a unique space for teaching, dancing and imagining over the years.

Martha Graham Dance Company
Cutler Majestic Theatre | Nov. 22-23
Celebrity Series of Boston hosts New York-based Martha Graham Dance Company for the 12th time since its 1945 debut in the city and for the first time since 2005. The organization is preparing for its 100th anniversary in 2026, and this performance is part of a three-year celebration called “GRAHAM100,” leading up to the centennial. The company’s works are known for being grounded in “contemporary social, political, psychological and sexual contexts” and have grown and deepened modern dance’s vocabulary. Audiences can expect to see classic and contemporary pieces, such as “Lamentation” and Jamar Roberts’ “We the People,” on the program.
Gallim
ICA | Dec. 13-14
One of New York’s most esteemed contemporary dance companies is coming to the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston in an event made possible by Global Arts Live. Gallim will perform pieces such as “state,” set to the tunes of pop artist RIVKA, and “Noon Candle,” a solo work inspired by founder Andrea Miller’s commission from English National Ballet. The troupe will also delight spectators with “BRUCE,” a dance accompanied by the music of Israeli band Balkan Beat Box, and “FROM,” which thematically reaches for a feeling of renewal. The group was founded in 2007 and has performed at spaces like The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center and Jacob’s Pillow.




